Why Start a
Farmers' Market?
Farmers' markets are friendly community commercial events that bind together urban and
rural citizens in the most traditional of ways-
local farmers selling their products directly to
the public.
Recently, the growing convergence of urban and rural
interests has created a new generation of markets. These new markets
organizers are either a group of farmers
seeking to increase direct market sales or community activists seeking to create a
community event. Clearly, these two groups have
complementary interests and markets work best when
farmers and community activists work together.
Farmers markets
also represent an opportunity to promote economic
development by:
1. replacing out-of-state agricultural
products with in-state products.
2. transferring wealth from urban to
rural communities in Oregon.
3. capturing tourist dollars
4 promoting increased commercial activity
in central business districts.
Farmers' markets are based on a three-legged
organization model: Farmers,
Customers
and
the Market Organization, All three legs must be
equally strong in a successful market.
The
farmers are market organization's #1 "customer".
Communities must keep focus on making the market
a viable farm direct
marketing opportunity for the farmers.
Lastly, organizers must refrain from
using farmers' markets as a sole
vehicle for an downtown/neighborhood
revitalization project. The organization must
focus on creating a successful farmers' marketing
opportunity first which will then lead to other
community building opportunities.
OFMA has many seasoned market managers who have
contributed to the following information on how to
create a successful farmers' market:
|
